Quilter's Funny

A recent study indicated that fabric gives off certain Pheromones that actually hypnotize women and cause them to purchase unreasonable amounts. When stored in large quantities in enclosed spaces, the Pheromones (in the fabric) causes memory loss and induces the nesting syndrome (similar to the one squirrels have before the onset of winter i.e. storing food). Therefore perpetuating their species and not having a population loss due to their kind being cut into pieces and mixed with others.

Sound tests have also revealed that these fabrics emit a very high pitched sound, heard only by a select few, a breed of women know as quilters. When played backwards on an LP, the sounds are heard as chants, buy me, cut me and sew me. In order to overcome the so called feeding frenzy effect that these fabrics cause, one must wear a face mask when entering a storage facility and use ear plugs to avoid being pulled into their grip. One must laugh, however, at the sight of customers in a quilt fabric store, with WWII army gas masks and headphones!

Studies have also indicated that aliens have inhabited the earth, helping to spread the effects that these fabrics have on the human population. They are called QUILT FABRIC STORE CLERKS. It's also been experienced that these same Pheromones cause a pathological need to hide these fabric purchases when taken home (or at least blend them into the existing stash), and when asked by significant other if the fabric is new, the reply is I've had it for awhile.

Tatting - I'm addicted again

Hand projects are so addictive!  Unfortunately, they're taking me away from my quilting! :)

There are so many beautiful patterns out there.  This one is called Nilakandi and is in Jon Yusoff's book Tatting Gems.

I still have a couple of threads to hide to finish it off.. but I was so excited that I finished it.

More practice is definitely needed... but I'm working on it.

Antiquing Discoveries and tatting

A couple sunday's ago I decided to head out to the Bentley Antique Market because I've seen the sign there several times over the last couple of years but have never gone. 

Jim is not a fan of flea markets, antique markets or shopping of any sort... so I left him at home sleeping... lol

My greatest find.....

A beautiful hanging light!  I have such limited lighting in my sewing room and I knew I needed something that I could position right over my sewing table... and this fit the bill, and it's gorgeous!  Beautiful heavy glass panels in shades of light green and whites, and what looks like brass/copper metal.  The lady told me if any of these glass pieces broke or cracked it would probably cost about $200 to replace just one.  It had a price tag on it of $60, and she had previously had it on hold for another antique dealer, but since they hadn't claimed it yet and she hadn't adjusted the price tag (thinking she had really undervalued it), I purchased it for the price on the tag.  Whoohooo! 

I love the fact that it is a hanging chain lamp, which makes it easy to position it where I need it in my sewing room.

During my tour of the antique market, I also came across these very old quilts.  Most of which are very obviously hand appliqued and hand quilted.

This one had really been loved for a long time.  I'm pretty sure it used to be red, so you can see how much it's faded over the years.

Another red one.

I really enjoyed looking and feeling this one.  It was quite apparent that the applique and the quilting was all done by hand.

Such a pretty quilt.  I could tell it was machine sewed and then hand quilted.  They wanted $85 for this and I almost bought it. 

On another note, something caught my interest a couple weeks back.  For some reason I was teased by some tatting.  I remember years ago I taught myself how to tat, and produced a few bookmarks at the time.  So I went on a search to find my tatting supplies.

I found them, and one little plastic shuttle that I had used... so I thought, let's try this again.  You don't realize how much you've forgotten until you try something you did maybe 20 years ago.

After a lot of false starts, several pieces that ended up in the garbage, and hours of watching video tutorials on youtube, I finally finished a couple pieces I'm willing to show.

Two tatted bookmarks! :)  These are just rings and chains (in tatting terminology), and I can see where I need some improvement still.  I've yet to tackle some of the more difficult techniques like split chains and split rings, but this is a start.

I was just happy to be able to do these, and have another hand project at the ready to work on in the living room when Jake urges me out of the sewing room.... after all, how can you say no to this face?